Stocking top



May 2 1944- 1. H. c. GREEN ETAI. 2,347,775

STOCKING TOP Original Filed Feb. 14, 1938 UCE/v5 SZHERRQ: "v" 'w Patented May 2, 1944 UNITED STOCKING TOP Isaac H. C. Green and Eugene St. Pierre, Pawtucket, B. I., assignors to Hemphill Company, Central Falls, R. I., a corporation of Massachusetta Qrixinal application February 14, 1938, Serial No. 190,516, now Patent No. 2,345,666, dated April 4, 1944. Divided and this application December 29, 1943, Serial No. 516,004

Claims.

This'is a division of application for United States Letters Patent #190,516, filed February 14, 1938.

This invention concerns a method of knitting the beginning edge of a stocking top wherein rubber is incorporated, and the article produced thereby. In many types of hosiery, including anklets, half-hosey childrens' hosiery and the like, elastic yarns such as the well-known lastex are being incorporated to form a welt which will resemble a rib top and at the same time, will serve as a garter. Such stocking tops must be run-on or started on the needles so as to present a non-rave] or fast edge and an edge which will be pleasing in appearance and strong enough to withstand practical usage. The present invention involves a beginning edge for such a stocking top wherein unusual strength, smooth appearance and resistance to curling are realized.

In the figures of drawing:

Fig. 1 shows a typical half-hose and the general appearance of such a mock rib top, the same being shown in a conventional manner;

Figs. 2-6 are diagrammatic views illustrating the consecutive steps employed to start an'd complete the first few courses of the fabric including the beginning edge and a few courses in addition thereto;

Fig. 'l is a view showing a section of the fabric at the beginning edge and a few courses in addition thereto, the same being shown greatly enlarged and more open than in the actual fabric; the fabric is shown at the face side while in the previous Figs. 46, the back of the fabric is shown as it is cast off.

In various types of hosiery it is now customary t0 knit the top or welt portion as plain or jersey fabric and to incorporate a rubber or elastic yarn in various ways. For example, the said elastic yarn may be taken in the hooks of needles and knitted at spaced wales throughout the top or welt. The rubber yarn is introduced under considerable tension, or at least under sufficient tension so that when released, it will contract and will draw together those wales in which it is held so as to cause the fabric to crinkle or to assume an appearance that resembles rather closely a rib fabric. Another method of introduction is that of feeding the rubber or elastic yarn to spaced wales, or the needles knitting those wales, below the latches thereof in which case the yarn will be thrown oif but will be held at certain sinker wales, the result being very much the same in either of these instances. This latter method is termed inlaying.

in spaced coursesv The rubber or elastic may be taken in alternate needles and in alternate courses, or may be incorporated at various intervals depending upon the machine, whether the yarn is taken within the hooks, or below the latches, or upon other considerations. i

At the beginning edge it is desirable to introduce the elastic yarn as soon as possible since curling of the fabric is thereby prevented to a degree and the appearance of the selvage rendered more smooth.

Now referring to the figures of drawing, a stocking indicated at I has the usual toe 2, heel 3 and welt or top 4. The said welt or top is characterized by vertical lines indicating the ribs and horizontal lines indicatingthe courses in which the elastic yarn is incorporated. Of course, the elastic yarn does not show at the face of the fabric, but horizontal, spaced courses are hereby indicated so as to convey an impression of about the amount of elastic which goes into the top so that the same may be rendered rib-like in appearance and will also exert that restraining effect necessary to serve as a garter.

Due to the fact that practical machines for knitting such a stocking top and stocking as herein shown must be made having a restricted number of moves, or, to express it in other words, since moves are not available every course but at spaced courses only, the elastic yarn is actually taken in the hooks of needles throughout one course more than is necessary. That step is i1- lustrated in this case as a more or less necessary feature due to machine restrictions. However, it may be borne in mind that if a machine were available for providing a move at every course rather than at every two courses, the first step in the method herein disclosed would not be essential. Also, the first course of waste rubber yarn which must later be cut out of thefabric would not be present.

In Figs. 2-6 we have illustrated diagrammatically what is happening in each of several courses at the beginning of knitting. Needles are indicated in Fig. 2 wherein the alternate needles indicated at 5, 1, 9 and il are taking an elastic yarn in their hooks. The elastic yarn is passing behind the intermediate needles 6, 8, lil, I2 and i4. Said elastic yarn is indicated by numeral i5. Hereinafter we shall designate the alternate needles by odd numbers and the intermediate needles by even numbers. In the machine the elastic yarn is preferably to be fed to the needles at a point somewhat in advance of the main feedingv station, this yarn being introduced by a swinging yarn nger or any feeding means capable of being moved to and from a feeding position. Needles will be selected at that position in accordance with a desired scheme. In this instanc the alternate or odd numbered needles would ze; selected by any suitable selecting or needle raising mechanism and would be raised sufficiently high to take the elastic yarn in their hooks, that yarn then passing in back of the intermediate needles in a manner well-known to those skilled in the art. The machine may take many different forms and we are not concerned in this case with anyv specific type of mechanism since the same have become well-known at this time, and, the method and fabric being disclosed. the choice or construction of a machine would not entail serious difficulties.

We will refer to that course knitted at Fig. 2 as course A. It is to be borne in mind that these Figs. 2-6 are introduced in the case mainly to illustrate the various steps in the processes of knitting, and that when the fabric of Fig. 7 is described, it may not be possible to identify these courses described by way of process as separate and distinct courses in the knitted fabric.

In Fig. 3, the second course B, the same elastic yarn I is again taken within the hooks of the odd numbered needles just as in the first revolution of the machine. The needles are actually knitting and the rst course of rubber 'will be cast off. At this particular time that iirst .course of rubber will not be entirely free from the needles since the bights of the same which are behind the even numbered needles will` lie below the new yarn passing behind those same needles. In other words, the first course of rubber taken will be temporarily held by being pinched or restrained by the rubber taken at the second course.

Now referring to Fig. 4 wherein course C is illustrated, the odd numbered needles will be differently controlled to take the elastic yarn below their latches rather than in their hooks. In other words, we change from knitting this elastic yarn to laying it in. The selecting mechanism or the needle raising mechanism as it is sometimes called, will be so controlled as to raise needles throughout an additional height at the point where the elastic yarn is taken. At the main feeding station a plain or base yarn in contrast to the rubber yarn and indicated at I6, will be fed to all the needles. This yarn I5 is introduced to the hooks of the needles and knits in the usual way. The second course of rubber taken at course B will be cast oiI the odd numbered needles and it`is at this time that the first course of rubber taken at course A is actually freed from the fabric. It will drop from the needles and may be cut oi! later as a subsequent operation.

At Fig. 5, course D, the plain yarn I6 is again taken by all the needles, but no rubber yarn is taken at this particular course. The plain yarn which was taken at course C will be cast of! and it is at this time that the beginning edge or selvage is actually completed. Two courses of rubber I5, the first of which was taken in the hooks of needles and the second of which was iaid Y below the latches of needles will be held between sinker loops I1 of the fabric.

In Fig. 6, course E, the alternate or odd numbered needles again take the elastic yarn fed below their latches, and at the main feed, all needles take the plain yarn I5. From this point on the elastic will be inlaid as in this course E at every other course. The sequence might be varied so that the elastic could be taken at every course, or at every third or fourth course, this all depending upon the amount of elastic desired, the length of the top, and other practical considerations; for these changes the selection and manipulation of needles and rubber yarn feeding means must be varied accordingly. In the particular illustration shown the odd numbered needles, are the only ones which are selected, and these are always selected throughout the knitting of the top. This makes it unnecessary to provide selection for different needles at the beginning edge from that which prevails throughout the remainder of the top or welt. Of course the beginning edge may be knitted as herein disclosed and the remainder of the welt may be knitted by incorporating rubber on different needles, or by knitting it in contrast to inlaying, such knitting being spaced any desired number of wales or courses. The only change in so far as selection of needles is concerned, and so far as the knitting of the beginning edge is concerned, is that of first raising the alternate needles to take the rubber yarn in their hooks and thereafter raising them to a height suiiicient to take that yarn below their latches.

Now referring to Fig. 7, a conventional illustration of the nished edge and of the next following courses of the fabric is shown. Wales I8, 20 and 22 are knitted by the even numbered needles while wales I9. 2I, 23 and 25 are knitted by the odd numbered or so-called alternate needles. The sinker loops I1 are shown passing about the two courses of rubber I5 which are fed at B and C. It is to be noted that the two courses of rubber lose their identity as separate or distinct courses and eventually appear merely as rubber yarn passing through the sinker loops of the first knitted course of plain yarn. fast edge and an edge which is exceptionally strong, smooth and straight in its appearance and resistant to curling.

The fabric following the beginning edge consists of intermediate courses knitted of plain yarn only and alternate courses in which the rubber I5 is incorporated. 'I'he rubber yarn in these alternate courses is inlaid and is held at the even numbered wales, being pinched between parts of a needle and sinker loop in a manner well-known. The fabric is shown much enlarged and somewhat extended in this Fig. 7, but due to the tension in the elastic yarn, the same would be drawn together and would appear very much like a rib top especially when the rubber is contracted.

Slight changes may appear to those skilled in the art. that will,iall--witl1infthe*scopeof the origirral` invention. The invention is not limited otherwise than by the terms of the claims appended hereto.

We claim:

1. A selvage or anti-ravel edge for the top of a seamless circular plain knit article of hosiery,

which consists of a seamless circular knit body yarn course and an elastic yarn extending continuously through all of the loops of said body yarn course under tension suiiicient to draw the wales of the fabric together and decrease its diameter, and having portions of said elastic yarn overlapped within a plurality of the stitches of said course to frictionally hold them in overlapped relation. said elastic thread having a'pcr- This gives ation incorporated in a plurality of stitches in a subsequent course of stitches of said fabric to further secure the elastic yarn of said selvage against loss of tension" by relative movement of said overlapped portions.

2. A selvage for a stocking topincluding knitted sinker loops of a plain yarn and an elastic yarn passing through each sinker loop and passing twice through at least a few sinker loops to overlap upon itself.

3. A selvage for a stocking top including knitted sinker loops of a plain yarn and an elastic yarn passing a plurality of times through each sinker oop.

4. A stocking top including a course of loops knitted of plain yarn, a rubber yarn passing a plurality of times through said loops and plain fabric knitted in continuation of said course of plain yarn having elastic yarn incorporated at spaced wales throughout the remainder of the top.

5. A stocking top having a first course including sinker loops knitted of a plain yarn, an elastic yarn passing through each sinker loop and passing twice through at least a few of said sinker loops to overlap upon itself, said iirst course being followed by fabric knitted of plain yarn having elastic yarn incorporated at spaced wales in a plurality of courses.

ISAAC H. C. GREEN. EUGENE ST. PIERRE. 

